Liverpool's Philippe Coutinho has similar quality to Ronaldinho and Lionel Messi, according to Southampton manager Mauricio Pochettino.

The 20-year-old Brazilian has enjoyed a fine start to life at Anfield, having joined from Inter Milan during the January transfer window.

It was a time in which Coutinho was heavily linked with a move to Southampton, whose manager Pochettino knows the midfielder well after coaching him during a loan spell at Espanyol last season.

The Saints boss was coy when asked whether he had tried to lure Coutinho to the south coast, but more forthcoming when asked about the quality of the player in line to start at St Mary's on Saturday.

"What has happened in the past, happened in the past," Pochettino said. "We can't change it or do anything about it. Actually, talking about it is not going to do anything positive either.

"Philippe is a Brazilian player and, as it happens with most Brazilians, he has a special magic in his feet.

"Aside from the magic that he has, he also has an amazing work rate and that makes us doubt whether he fits the mould of a typical Brazilian player or a European one because his work ethic is outstanding.

"What is important about him is he is a good lad, a good kid - a great, humble person. I do think Coutinho has that same quality that Ronaldinho and Messi have, but he has much to prove yet.

"What is really clear to me is that Coutinho is a really responsible player - really dedicated and responsible to his own players."

Readers' Comments

I

t's wrong to be making a joke out of Bender's name at the expense of gay people. It's the kind of childish, uncivilised thing that Football365 would deride and ridicule if it was another media outlet saying. Why is there a need for jokes like this? Does it make your writers feel like men? F365 might suggest that I 'lighten up', but it is genuinely traumatic for people who have been oppressed all their lives to be the butt of jokes, and to be told...

ou can't blame De Gea for wanting to leave, he has enough to do in front of goal as it is as well as taking on the role of Man Utd's version of Derek Acorah in trying to contact and organise a defence that isn't there.